Storytime with Fes

This is a story of three girls, countless arched doorways, vegetarian leather, and much, much more.

The three girls began their journey on a three hour train to one of the oldest cities in the world. It was there that they ran into a man at the train station who had ridden the train with other volunteers an hour earlier. They all decided that he was a part of the Fes mafia. (His mafia friend would be their guide in the medina the following day)

After a sleepless night in the 100+ degree (absolutely stunningly BEAUTIFUL) inferno, a breakfast feast was enjoyed on the roof. That's right, 4 different styles of bread, just to be on the safe side! It was splendid!

With tummies full and bags packed up, the girls made a quick exit through the 2-foot-wide alleyway.

They passed thousands of beautiful doors,

random medina children that very well may have never left the walled city but were nevertheless happy as could be,

and a humongous tannery for leather dying!

The girls watched as the men were hard at work dying, cutting, and drying their future purchases

What they were unable to photograph was a stench unlike any other. To sum it up, it is easy to say it was not a vegetarian's dream come true.

However, the vegetarian was also a photographer, and the latter title easily won overAs did being a girl in a room of thousands of shoes...

Did she mention the shoes?!

After drinking several liters of water to stay cool in the super sweltering heat, they decided to find a trash can to toss the bottles. Silly them, there is no such thing in the largest urban area of the world!

They toured a very old Arabic Medersa (school)

And even saw the Qarawiyyin Mosque, claimed to be the oldest university in the world.

After hours of sightseeing, the next stop was a co-op run by the government that sells legit Moroccan carpets in every size, color, and design imaginable. The Fes Mafia tried his best to convince the girls to buy, but their student budgets left them unable to commit.

Oh how they upset the Fes Mafia and friends!

After exhaustive bartering, the three girls and random new friend from New Zealand went to lunch. They asked for a salad and were presented with this. Did the vegetarian mention how Moroccans love their food?!!

The girls were full and ready for a siesta, but needed to finish their tour of the never-ending medina. They considered taking the only type of taxi allowed in the medina (pictured below) but decided to press on by foot

All of a sudden, one of the most colorful rooms EVER was presented to them! There were weavers, and more blankets than any Canadian town would need in a snowstorm

The colors would have put a rainbow to shame.

After walking 8 hours, the girls jumped into a car and took a tour of the tombs,

(but they weren't told what they're tombs of....)

the kings palace,

and the pottery making place.

The two girls then dropped the vegetarian off with another three girls that were catching a train back to Rabat. The vegetarian needs to give a shout-out to these girls, because they illegally caught a three-person geo metro sized taxi with her out of fear of missing the train. You can follow their blog here: Majmouat M.K.C.
The vegetarian was sick and just wanted to go home and sleep in her own bed!

And that I did. For 14 hours and all. After hours of coughing up a lung (which I learned you can't barter for at the medina, despite it appearing you can buy EVERYTHING), I asked Khadija and Aicha (the House Manager and Cook at HomeBase) for some hot water to drink. They in turn went outside, cut fresh limes off the tree, and made me a wonderful remedy of lime juice, honey, and hot water!!


They pretty much rock.


Tomorrow is Marrakech for a night before returning Sunday, Inshallah (God Willing). It is also the first day of Ramadan tomorrow, which will have to be another post.


Because now, it is time for the vegetarian to sleep once again. Bonsoir!